Amherst News-Times, 2005-03-09

              academic team excels - page 2 mistake almost closes school 8 amherst new n k t -two r- ru r cd x ' 03 rn o) i 4 m w township man and open door named in fraud suit one group of parishioners is accusing their church's financial advisor some very un christianlikc behavior, alleging that he bilked investors the congregation out $20 million since 1998. last week, four church members filed against gary mcnaughton, 8825 bcchtcl rd., township, him sell ing fraudulent promissory notes under auspices church. plaintiffs claim legal documents mcnaughton offered to invest churchgoers' money an' options-trading program run by his life-long friend, andrew lech ontario, canada, with an annual per cent interest rate. march 2003, com plainants say they stopped receiving payments from who served as ad hoc member door's community affairs development ministry commit tee, board, finance mittee, a consultant. operated name haven equity company, according suit, was given $20,000 year salary door. addition, pastor david walls gave testimonials employees regard consultant's success. but ohio secretary state has no records pertaining states, not been registered ontario securities exchange continued on 6 are prepared? : ro mo tn graduation exam puts students test steele staffers bill strohm, sherry dispenza, brad thompson have working prepare for special study sessions. jason hawk news-times reporter it's good be sophomore. just ask kids at high school. this 358 tenth graders buried neck deep paper number two pencils struggle through experimenf educa tors call test. class 2007 must score passing grade ogt receive diploma. itxajrialrunjocihcjstariieranuias,scared todevclv. aaraizcu exam, wnicn consists 0p stronccr habits during i", -.1? -vr well significant written essay assignment. sophomore murray spent past years burying nose books, worrying about being guinea pig. now he's finding exactly how tough time for. "there's stuff there haven't even learned, like glapmetry, which i'm taking next year," told njjws-times. "i guess pretty confident rest, thbugh." said hype mcr ml amjuiuw weej voyage among braving its maiden i, says despite extensive preparation, still fears exam.' reading, math, writing, sci ence, social studies tests. two-and-a-half-hour ses sion will held each day 48 questions careerthough freshman dennis torres feels differently go before facing ogtf no, it hasn really pushed .trie. work hardcjcmie admit ted. "but docs make me mlittlejiervods." " whole, terrified scries, staffer pulls 40 volunteer stu- dents halls practice basics. "a lot fear unknown," said, stressing test-makers won't reveal ahead what scor standards three five tests, , "you can't stu dent ybu need d'50 percent or 60 pass," strohm said. "we feel we're hedging our bets." viva lorain?' council debates casino lorain's officials debated merits native american-run monday night, finally voting 9-1 sup port plans gambling estab lishment, elected were mulling whether throw weight behind controversial project. responding request endorse originat ed lorain, commu nity committee anything supportive, several decry eastern shawnee tribe's proposed betting house her ald crime poverty lorain county. spoke favor casino, most vocal opposition at-large nick brusky, cited data influences atlantic city. "the only effects think see negative, (includes) increase rate," pointing jersey destina tion's police budget tripled decade, 1 v brusky also city suffers unemployment rate 12.7 percent, times higher than national average. chief the. concerns resident roger jjstarett,, 924 rome beauty dii, crime, raised 12.4 detroit area. question continue much drop bottom line," pro posed casino's costbenefit ratio. "it's do political moral position. costs outweigh benefits themselves." millie bengclc 1162 meadowbrook dr. did object grounds. line god us anything, could cause fall," she "all care godf money." speaking the,' page; tending flock keeps halcomb flying bird-brained friends nest downtown amazon gray mating season, means feathers mary's bird world. sarah, seven-year-old yellow-naped amazon, pacing cage hor mones flowing, every few seconds letting loose shrill shriek. using beak, third set talons, grabs bar top swings lime-colored body around perch favorite branch sounding off again. compartment away, neighboring limb, caiques preen other, nimble hooked bills clean others' tufts. "clowns world" twist heads brief moment share kiss hanging upside down gently back-flipping, exchanging seats. 7 feathered children qo along everyone '''.11''' $ . .1